The genomic impact of 100 million years of social evolution in seven ant species

Jürgen Gadau; Martin Helmkampf; Sanne Nygaard; Julien Roux; Daniel F. Simola; Chris R. Smith; Garret Suen; Yannick Wurm; Christopher D. Smith

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2011.08.005

The genomic impact of 100 million years of social evolution in seven ant species

Jürgen Gadau, Martin Helmkampf, Sanne Nygaard, Julien Roux, Daniel F. Simola, Chris R. Smith, Garret Suen, Yannick Wurm, Christopher D. Smith

Ecology and Evolution

83 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) represent one of the most successful eusocial taxa in terms of both their geographic distribution and species number. The publication of seven ant genomes within the past year was a quantum leap for socio- and ant genomics. The diversity of social organization in ants makes them excellent model organisms to study the evolution of social systems. Comparing the ant genomes with those of the honeybee, a lineage that evolved eusociality independently from ants, and solitary insects suggests that there are significant differences in key aspects of genome organization between social and solitary insects, as well as among ant species. Altogether, these seven ant genomes open exciting new research avenues and opportunities for understanding the genetic basis and regulation of social species, and adaptive complex systems in general.

Original language	English
Journal	Trends in Genetics
Volume	28
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	14-21
Number of pages	8
ISSN	0168-9525
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2011.08.005
Publication status	Published - Jan 2012

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10.1016/j.tig.2011.08.005

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168952511001387

Cite this

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title = "The genomic impact of 100 million years of social evolution in seven ant species",

abstract = "Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) represent one of the most successful eusocial taxa in terms of both their geographic distribution and species number. The publication of seven ant genomes within the past year was a quantum leap for socio- and ant genomics. The diversity of social organization in ants makes them excellent model organisms to study the evolution of social systems. Comparing the ant genomes with those of the honeybee, a lineage that evolved eusociality independently from ants, and solitary insects suggests that there are significant differences in key aspects of genome organization between social and solitary insects, as well as among ant species. Altogether, these seven ant genomes open exciting new research avenues and opportunities for understanding the genetic basis and regulation of social species, and adaptive complex systems in general.",

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T1 - The genomic impact of 100 million years of social evolution in seven ant species

AU - Gadau, Jürgen

AU - Helmkampf, Martin

AU - Nygaard, Sanne

AU - Roux, Julien

AU - Simola, Daniel F.

AU - Smith, Chris R.

AU - Suen, Garret

AU - Wurm, Yannick

AU - Smith, Christopher D.

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